


I Need You In My Life

by yvonnereid



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-03
Updated: 2015-02-17
Packaged: 2017-12-13 20:43:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/828668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yvonnereid/pseuds/yvonnereid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Justin Taylor is a typical 17-year-old teenager spending a carefree night on the town with his best friend, Daphne; little does he realize, however, that before the night is over he will discover a unique talent that will not only save someone's life, but also have long-lasting implications for all those that he touches along the way.</p><p>I'm walking down a supernatural road with this one folks, with a bit of good old Irish folklore. I hope you enjoy it. ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The plot for this story came to me when I was out walking, it's mildly crazy but give it a try anyway.
> 
> The story is beta'ed by Judy (bigj52 on Livejournal) Thank you so much darling :)
> 
> Thank you to Kim (predec2") for writing the summary :)

***

If you had known Justin Taylor before this day, like everyone else you’d have thought he was a normal seventeen year old trying to find his place in the world.

On this night Justin decided to go to Liberty Avenue with his best friend, Daphne.

Justin and Daphne had been quite a few times to Liberty Avenue, but something was going to happen tonight that would change Justin’s life forever.

They were walking along when Daphne tripped on a rock. Justin quickly grabbed her arm to prevent her from falling. “Shit, I never even saw that there. It’s quite dark here tonight,” Daphne said.

“Are you ok?” Justin asked. Daphne never ever tripped. She was one of those people who always kept their eyes on the ground when walking. She bumped into stuff a lot, but she never tripped.

“Yeah. I am fine, thanks to you. Quick reflexes, Justin,” she praised her friend.

When they were walking along again, Justin looked over to a couple that were standing, kissing on the pavement, and smiled. “I wish a hot guy would kiss me like that,” he confessed to Daphne.

Daphne stopped walking, and looked over to where Justin was looking and smiled. “A hot guy will kiss you like that, Justin, and who knows, you could meet him tonight,” Daphne told her friend.

At that moment a crisp bag blowing in the wind caught Justin’s attention. He followed it with his eyes until it blew in the direction of four men coming out of a nightclub called Babylon. Justin could hear them laughing and talking, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying.

One of the men stepped into the middle of the footpath and turned to face the others who were standing at the doorway. Raising both his arms out to the side, he said something and laughed. On his last word, the Babylon sign blew off the wall and landed on top of him.

Many people ran over to where the man lay, and Justin heard one of them say, “He’s dead.”

“No,” Justin said, feeling his body heat up and breaking out into a sweat.

Taking a deep breath, Justin blinked a few times and looked behind himself and then back to the front. Everything he saw was what he’d seen before the Babylon sign blew off the wall, onto the man and killed him.

Justin looked at the ground and saw the rock that Daphne had tripped on, so he pulled her to the side. Then he saw the two men standing on the pavement, kissing. He became worried and walked faster.

“Justin, why are we walking so fast? You don’t have to drag me, I can walk unaided, you know,” Daphne snapped.

“Daphne, that Babylon sign is going kill that man,” Justin told her.

“Justin, what are you talking about?” Daphne asked.

Just then, Justin had a gut feeling about the crisp bag blowing past him, and just like in his vision or whatever the fuck it was, a crisp bag blew past him in the direction of the four men that came out of the nightclub called Babylon.

Justin let go of Daphne’s arm and just as the man stretched both his arms out to his side, he lunged in the man’s direction, mere seconds before the Babylon sign blew off.

Sparks flew off the sign when it smashed into the pavement.

“What the fuck are you doing?” asked a very angry brunet.

Justin realised he was lying on top of the man, and they were now surrounded by quite a few people.

After getting back up onto his feet, Justin offered to help the man get up too, but was told to fuck off, nicely of course, by the man he saved.

“My God, Brian, that guy just saved your life,” said a man with black hair, who looked shocked.

After getting himself more composed, Brian took in his surroundings. If that blond who looked no older than about fifteen, hadn’t pushed him out of the way he would have been under that sign, and could have been crushed to death. That sign weighed a ton and needed a crane to put it up onto the building.

“Wow! You did save my life,” Brian told Justin. “How did you know it was going to do that? When I came out of the club you were way over there,” he said, pointing down the street. “You couldn’t possibly have known it was going to happen unless you had a vision or something,” Brian said before laughing, and everyone else there laughed too.

Daphne looked at Justin, waiting for an answer, as did everyone else, including Brian.

Thinking very quickly, Justin said, “I wasn’t trying to save you. I was trying to run past you and you stepped out and that’s how I ran into you. I guess you were just lucky I ran into you.”

Daphne knew what the real story was, although how it was possible, she had no idea. She would talk to Justin about it later. She wondered how the hell Justin could have known the sign was going to blow off the wall.

Brian smiled. “I see. Well, you saved my life, thank you.”

“Brian, you should probably let me drive you home. You’re probably shaking from what just happened,” said the same person who had told Brian he was just saved by Justin.

“Fuck off, Michael. I can drive home myself. You can ride with Ted and Emmett tonight,” he told the guy he called Michael, all the while not taking his eyes off Justin.

“Want a ride home?” Brian asked Justin and Daphne. “Sure,” replied Justin. Daphne smiled in response.

Brian dropped Daphne off first, and asked Justin if he would like to go back to his loft. Justin didn’t need to be asked twice. This man was a God! Maybe tonight he would find out what a real kiss was, or maybe more.

Whatever happened with the whole vision thing, Justin would look into tomorrow. For the rest of the night, he just wanted to be a normal seventeen year old.

TBC...


	2. Chapter 2

***

When Brian and Justin arrived at Brian’s loft, Justin was in awe. The place was amazing inside, even though outside it looked like a normal boring building.

 

“Wow, this is a really nice place,” Justin said as he looked around the room. His eyes quickly landed on the altar bed, at the top of three steps. He wondered if Brian would take him up there some time soon.

 

“Thanks, Justin,” said Brian as he walked up behind the blond. Justin screeched and jumped back a little. “You scared me,” he said, laughing. Brian smiled. “Yeah, you jumped more dramatically than my friend, Emmett would have. He’d be so proud of you.”

 

Justin smiled.

 

Brian sat on the sofa and gestured to Justin to do the same. “So it’s a good thing that you came out tonight, huh? Or I would be dead right now. I still can’t quite take it in. The last thing I remember doing is telling the boys I was invincible, and the next thing I know is I’m being pushed to the ground, before hearing a bang. I had no idea what was happening. I don’t get scared often, and I’ll deny saying I was scared if it ever gets out, but tonight I was scared,” Brian said, before giving a little laugh.

 

Justin looked deeply into Brian’s eyes, and smiled, “Your secret is safe with me,” he promised.

 

Clearing his throat, Brian put his arm across the back of the sofa, and his fingers gently fell onto Justin’s shoulders. Justin looked at Brian’s fingers and back to Brian’s eyes. “So, tell me something about yourself?” Justin asked. “What do you do for a living?

 

“I work in advertising,” Brian replied.

 

Justin nodded, “Ok um, how long have you worked in advertising for?”

 

Brian was staring at Justin’s lips as he spoke, before looking back into his eyes, “Justin, do you really want to talk about something you have absolutely no interest

in? Of course you don’t,” Brian said, before pulling Justin into him by his shoulders and kissing him.

 

Justin kissed Brian back and at that moment he saw flashes of people. People he had never seen before, behind his eyes. Two women on a hospital bed, surrounded by females. Brian standing in front of them, holding a baby. The black-haired man Brian had called Michael earlier, was in the room too. Just before the vision ended he heard ‘trying to call you but your cell is off. Lindsay is in labour’ and the name, ‘Gus’.

 

Feeling his body heat up and break into a sweat like it did the last time, Justin pulled back from the kiss quickly. Before he knew what to do or say about what he had just seen, he blurted out, “Your cell is off. Someone is trying to call you. Lindsay is in labour.”

 

Brian raised his eyebrows. “What the fuck did you just say?” he asked, feeling a little freaked out by Justin’s words.

 

Brian moved away from Justin on the sofa, and sat at the very end. He reached into his pocket, not taking his eyes off Justin’s, and pulled out his cell phone. He saw that he had two missed calls and four messages from Melanie, the partner of the woman who was having his baby. Looking back at Justin, Brian listened to his voice mail, “Brian, where the fuck are you? It’s Lindsay, she’s at the hospital. I’ve been trying to get hold of you for the last hour. She’s in labour.”

 

After realising what he had said, Justin thought Brian was going to want answers, but now was not the time for this. He must have seen what he did for a reason. “Look, just go to the hospital. I will let myself out,” Justin said, before making his way to the door.

 

Not giving it another thought Brian called his friend, Michael. “It’s happening, Michael. Call a cab and get your ass over here. Lindsay is having the baby.”

 

When Justin reached the bottom of the stairs after leaving the loft, something else flashed behind his eyes. This time it was of a woman with short grey hair walking away from the hospital with a baby in her arms. He could clearly hear the woman saying, “I will take better care of you, Gus,” before it turned back to darkness behind his eyes.

 

“Someone is going to steal Brian’s baby,” said Justin out loud. “I have to get to the hospital.”

 

Seeing a bus pull into the bus stop, it could only be luck; Justin ran over to it and got on. He paid his fare and told the driver to let him off at Evian Road; it was less than five minutes by foot to the hospital from there.

 

When Justin finally arrived at the hospital, Brian and Michael were getting out of Brian’s jeep. Brian spotted Justin running past them both. “Hey, that’s Justin,” said Brian. “I wonder where he’s off to in a hurry.”

 

“Who cares,” replied Michael. “Let’s go and welcome your son into the world. I’m so excited for you, Brian. You’re going to be a dad,” he continued.

 

Brian and Michael made their way into the hospital, and to the elevator. On the way up in the elevator Michael asked, “So how did it go with the blond guy? I know you took him back to your place. I bet you dropped his friend off and took him straight to the loft. Am I right?”

 

“I don’t have to tell you anything about my private life, Michael. What I do and who I do is none of your business, so drop it,” Brian told his friend. If he were honest with himself, he would admit to still being freaked out by what happened with Justin. But he never would, not to Michael anyway.

 

Changing the subject, Brian said, “So, am I going to father a son or daughter? What do you think, Michael?”

 

“A son, for sure. A miniature Brian running around is what we all want to see,” Michael said, smiling.

 

Brian smiled too. “Yeah, I would like a son more than a daughter to be honest, and I hope he’s a real pain in the ass and pisses smelly Melly off a lot.”

 

“Like father, like son,” Michael added, before they laughed.

 

As Brian and Michael exited the elevator, Justin was standing at the desk talking to the receptionist. “Look, you don’t understand. I need to know. She has grey short hair and works on this ward. I just need to talk to her, please.”

 

“I’m sorry, sir, a woman fitting that description doesn’t work here during my hours. Maybe she works the daytime shift. You could try again around seven or eight. My shift ends at eight, maybe she starts then. I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful to you.”

 

“Justin,” Brian interrupted, “What are you doing in the maternity ward at one thirty in the morning? Does your mom work here or something?” Brian queried.

 

Justin turned around and saw Brian and Michael standing next to him. “I, um, my mom does work here. I guess I forgot she wasn’t working tonight,” he told Brian. Brian knew it was a lie. He could tell when a person lied and he knew Justin was lying to him.

 

Brian thought for a moment. Something was going on, and he was going to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible. “Come with me, Justin,” he said after taking Justin by the wrist. Michael could see they were walking toward the room Lindsay was in and asked, “Brian, why the fuck are you bringing him into the room with us? You don’t even know him.”

 

Brian looked at Michael, but he said nothing. He opened the door, and they all walked into the room to meet his new baby.

 

Once inside the room, a bunch of women who were sitting around the Lindsay’s bed, holding a baby, greeted them, mostly with glares. Melanie was seated on the side of the bed next to her.

 

“Say hello to your son,” said Lindsay, smiling, as she saw Brian had entered the room with Michael and…who was the blond guy?

 

Brian walked over to the bed, and everyone made way for him. “So you gave me a son? He’s beautiful, just like his father,” Brian exclaimed.

 

Lifting his son up, Brian asked, “Does he have a name yet?”

 

“Gus,” Justin said, out loud before thinking. He looked around and noticed everyone was looking at him.

 

Brian turned and looked at Justin before Lindsay said, “Actually, Mel wanted to name him Abraham after her grandfather, but I like Gus too. You have good taste in names uh…?”

 

“Justin, my name is Justin. Congratulations on the birth of your son,” he told her.

 

Everyone looked at Brian, waiting for him to explain why a strange guy was with him when he was seeing his new baby for the first time. But he said nothing and went back to looking lovingly at his son

 

“Justin saved Brian’s life tonight. We were coming out of Babylon when the sign blew off the wall, and almost landed on top of Brian. But Justin ran into him, knocking him out of the way. That sign weighs a fucking ton. Brian would have been crushed to death,” Michael told them. “Justin was running past him when Brian stepped out so that’s how he knocked Brian over in the first place,” Michael continued, while looking adoringly at Brian with his son.

 

Lindsay gasped, and Melanie studied Justin a bit. “So I guess you’re a hero,” said Melanie.

 

Justin smiled and replied, “Yeah, I guess so.”

 

“I applaud you,” said Melanie sarcastically.

 

“Fuck you, Mel,” Brian said, but Melanie just rolled her eyes.

 

A nurse entered the room and told all the guests it was time to leave, because the mother and child needed to rest.

 

“This is your first night on Earth, sonny boy,” Brian said to his son before kissing his head. “I love you already,” he whispered. He whispered it so no one would hear him, but when he looked at Justin and saw the boy was smiling, he had a feeling Justin had.

 

After handing the baby back to his moms, Brian kissed Lindsay good night and threw Melanie a glare just for good measure then he, Michael and Justin left the room.

 

 

“So where to next, Brian? I’m sure you’ll be giving Justin a ride home first, then where are we heading? I can stay at the loft if you want,” Michael said.

 

Brian looked in Justin’s direction, as Justin walked a little ahead of them both. “You can call a cab, Michael. I’m going straight to the loft from here,” he told his friend. “And Justin is coming with me,” he added.

 

“But why is Justin going back to the loft, Brian? You never take a trick back to the loft twice…”

 

“Call your cab, Michael. We can talk tomorrow,” said Brian before leaning in and kissing his friend on the lips.

 

On the drive back to the loft Justin didn’t know what to say, so Brian got the story going. “That’s some freaky shit that’s been happening with you since we met. I want to know what’s really going on and you’re going to tell me everything. Do you understand me?”

 

Justin took a deep breath. “Fair enough. If you want the truth, I will give it to you. But not while we’re in the jeep,” he said.

 

What Justin didn’t know was how the hell to explain something to someone if he didn’t even know how to explain it to himself.

 

Maybe if he talked about it he might get a better understanding.

 

Once they arrived back at the loft, Brian got them a beer, and they both sat on the sofa. “Ok, so let’s hear it, and I don’t want the watered-down version either. I know your mom doesn’t work in that maternity ward. You were lying to that receptionist, so spill it,” Brian said calmly.

 

“You won’t believe me,” Justin told him.

 

“You’d be surprised at what I would believe,” replied Brian.

 

“Ok, here goes…I wasn’t running past you. I knew that sign was going to blow off. It was going to land on top of you and kill you, Brian. I know that because I saw it happen before it did,” Justin said, as he kept his eyes trained on Brian’s.

 

“What do you mean you saw it before it happened?” Brian asked.

 

“I mean I saw it before it happened. You walked out of the club and raised both your arms. You said something I couldn’t make out and the sign blew off the wall and landed on top of you. A lot of people ran over to you and I clearly heard someone say you were dead. The next thing I know, I’m back before it happened and little things I saw, I was seeing again. Daphne tripped on a rock the first time, but I saw the rock she would trip on and pulled her so she’d miss it the second time. Two guys kissing in the street, and the crisp bag blowing in the direction of the club. I got scared but the second I saw you raise your arms I just dived in front of you. I knew the sign was going to fall.”

 

Brian got up from the sofa and walked over to the window, looking out at the snow that had begun falling. He asked a question he never thought would have a logical answer. “Are you saying you had a vision, Justin? Visions don’t happen in reality, they happen in movies or science fiction novels. They don’t happen in real life.”

 

Justin got up and joined Brian at the window. “Then explain how I knew about the missed messages from Melanie. Explain how I knew Lindsay was in labour, and don’t say it was a coincidence because it wasn’t. When you kissed me I saw flashes of it all, that’s how I knew. And I did see the sign fall on you as well, Brian.”

 

Looking at Justin, Brian still had no idea how to take in any of what was being said. It made no sense to him. He didn’t believe in God or heaven. So why would he believe a person would have visions to save people, especially someone like him? “It just doesn’t make any sense to me, Justin. You’ve been having visions your whole life to save people, to help people…”

 

“They only started tonight, Brian. I still have no idea how or why. Before tonight I was normal like everyone else, and then this happened. I can’t even explain why or how, so if you’re having a hard time believing in it, think about how I feel. Plus I’m terrified,” Justin said.

 

Brian could see the fear in Justin’s eyes, and pulled him into a hug. “I can’t explain it either, but I will try and help you find the answers you need if I can. And this better not be on Punked on TV either,” Brian said before laughing a little. Justin welcomed the warmth of the hug, and laughed a little too. “No, this is reality, Brian. No hidden cameras are here.”

 

The next few hours Brian and Justin Googled ‘visions’ on the internet and found many interesting stories, but they mostly saw it referring to the movie, Final Destination or about a saint called Bernadette. Nothing was useful for Justin’s situation.

 

“Maybe you could ask your mom if something is in your family history,” Brian suggested.

 

“I guess,” replied Justin. “But if you don’t see me for a long time after that, chances are my parents have had me admitted to a mental ward,” Justin told Brian.

 

Sighing loudly, Justin sat back on the chair. “This isn’t getting me anywhere. It explains what they are but it doesn’t say who gets them or why?”

 

“Justin, a lot of people don’t believe that we get visions to begin with, unless they are spiritual people perhaps. And there won’t be any answers on Google if you type in who might have visions. It’s not like asking if you’ll get AIDS if you have unprotected sex with someone who has that virus, or if you’ll get cancer if you smoke. People having visions is basically unheard of unless it’s for TV or books, so I really have no idea what to tell you about this,” Brian said.

 

After yawning, Brian looked at his watch. “It’s almost five in the morning. As much as I have enjoyed googling ‘visions’ for you, I’m going to call it a night,” Brian said before logging off.

 

Brian got up and walked up to his bedroom. He took a thick blanket from his closet and came back down to Justin, who was still sitting by the computer, staring at the black screen. “You should get some sleep too.”

 

Taking the blanket from Brian, Justin turned himself around in the swivel chair and stood up. Wrapping the blanket around himself, Justin walked over to the sofa and lay on it.

 

Brian didn’t really know what to say. He could tell Justin was frustrated, so he told him to sleep well and headed to his own bed.

 

When the alarm clock went off, Brian realised he hadn’t slept at all. He had been thinking about the possibility of visions being real, and Justin. Maybe he would call his mom later. She might have some answers about all that stuff, and maybe she could help Justin. No, he would just leave it for a while until Justin spoke to his own mom. Why go near Joanie unless you absolutely had no choice?

 

Either way, the whole concept of people having visions was slowly making Brian believe it was possible. After all, how could Justin have known what would happen last night, before it actually did? For now he would keep this newfound belief to himself.

 

A noise from the kitchen got Brian’s attention, followed by the padding of feet along the hardwood floor. “I made you some coffee,” Justin said as he walked towards Brian’s bed, holding a tray with two cups of black coffee, a jug of milk and a container of sugar, along with a spoon.

 

After placing the tray on the bedside table, Justin handed Brian a cup. “Here, I thought you could use this. You were tossing and turning for the last few hours, so I’m guessing you had about as much sleep as I did. Which was none by the way.”

 

 

Brian sat up, and took the coffee, “Thanks. Yeah, I heard you too. You were sighing an awful lot.”

 

“I don’t know what I’m going to do, Brian,” Justin said. “I feel so lost right now.”

 

Placing his cup back on the tray, Brian took Justin’s cup and put it there as well. “Hey, you’re not lost. You’re at my loft. The address is 6 Fuller, Corner of Tremont, Pittsburgh,” Brian said, hoping it would at least make Justin smile.

 

When Justin did smile, Brian smiled back, “You’ll figure out what’s going on, Justin. It may take time but you’ll figure it out,” Brian said, as he pulled Justin into a hug. Justin hugged Brian back but wasn’t convinced by the words of encouragement that he was passing on.

 

“As much as I’d love to spend the day in this position, I really need to take a shower. Would you like to join me?” Brian asked Justin as he pulled back from the hug.

 

“I better not,” replied Justin. “I’m heading over to Daphne’s when I leave here. I can grab a shower there. Thanks anyway,” he said.

 

“Fuck! I have a bitch of a headache coming on,” Justin told Brian, as he squeezed the bridge of his nose. “You got any painkillers?” he asked. Brian reached into his bedside locker and pulled out a strip of painkillers and gave Justin two, “Here, wash them down with water from the fridge,” he said.

 

Justin took the painkillers and threw them back. After he swallowed them he said, “I don’t need water to wash back meds most of the time so thanks for these.”

 

A little while after Justin had left, Brian was in the shower. What a strange night it had been. First he nearly lost his life, then he met Justin who was a rare find for him and they didn’t even fuck, which was very strange given that Justin spent the night at the loft. His son was born who Justin had named. Then Brian found out that Justin had visions and that’s how he knew to save him in the first place. Yeah, it was a very strange night, Brian thought. One other thing he couldn’t quite get a grasp of was why he cared so much about Justin. Why did he hug him? He never hugged anyone except maybe Michael, but only on rare occasions. What the hell was going on?

 

Brian figured the answers to his questions would get answered soon enough. Right now he had to finish showering, go to work and be brilliant.

 

TBC…

Punked is a TV show where famous people are made fools of. It’s very funny.


	3. Chapter 3

When Justin arrived at Daphne’s, he let himself in through the back door. Daphne was sitting on the sofa in front of the open fire she had just lit. “It’s freezing here, so I figured I should light it,” she said, when Justin looked at her questioningly.

 

“You’re very domesticated. You’ll make a great wife for some lucky guy,” Justin said before snickering.

 

“Shut up,” Daphne told Justin.

 

“Ok, so do you want to tell me what happened last night?” she asked. She had an idea but she wanted Justin to tell her, just in case she was wrong.

 

“No, wait. I’ll grab us some coffee and a snack first, then you can tell me everything, and I mean everything. Leave nothing out,” Daphne said, before rushing off to the kitchen.

 

When Daphne returned, she sat next to Justin on the sofa and placed their coffee and two croissants on the coffee table in front of them. “So?” she asked. “You said you didn’t want to talk about what happened through texts. So what happened? Tell me.”

 

Justin leaned forward and took a croissant, and sat back again.

 

He had told Daphne through texts, that he and Brian were up the whole night looking up stuff on the Internet, trying to find answers to what had happened to him last night, but Daphne had yet to learn exactly what that was. “So talk to me, Justin. What the hell happened last night?”

 

Sighing deeply, Justin decided to tell Daphne the simple facts. “I had visions last night. You and I were walking along Liberty Avenue, and I saw a sign fall on top of a guy, Brian actually, and it killed him. That’s how I knew that was going to happen. I saw it, it just flashed inside my eyes or something. It really freaked me out. Then it happened again at Brian’s loft when he kissed me. This time I saw two women in a hospital bed, holding a baby. A few women sat around the bed. It turned out they were friends of the couple, Justin told her. “And then it passed, and I heard a woman’s voice saying that they were trying to reach Brian because Lindsay was in labour, and someone said the name ‘Gus’, too,” Justin said. “It felt really weird.”

 

Daphne had a strange look on her face that Justin couldn’t quite place, but he thought it might have been the same look that Brian had last night. “I know it sounds crazy, but I’m telling you the truth, Daph. I don’t know what is going on or why this even happened to me.”

 

While rubbing her chin, Daphne asked, “What did Brian say?”

 

“He gave me the same look you’re giving me right now, and checked his messages. The same voice with the same words sounded out on his voice mail. I knew he’d want answers, but I told him to go to the hospital and we’d talk soon, then I let myself out.” Justin told her.

 

As Justin started eating the croissant, Daphne tried to process what he had just told her. Visions?

 

“Ok, so let me get this straight. You had visions last night of something happening before it did?”

 

“Yeah, I did. And I can’t explain why, anymore than you or Brian can,” he said. “So we’re in the dark about it as much as you are.”

 

Daphne sat back on the sofa with her coffee, the croissant on the table forgotten.

 

“Maybe you’re from a different planet, like Krypton or something,” she suggested. “It could be you were bitten by a spider, or maybe you are something like Batman or The Incredible Hulk.”

 

Justin rolled his eyes. “Daphne, I am not from the planet Krypton, I didn’t get bitten by a spider and I am not Batman or The Incredible Hulk. Those are all fictional characters made up for TV and comic books, and they have absolutely nothing to do with my situation whatsoever. Why would you even think along those lines to begin with?” Justin asked.

 

“Because I can’t think of a logical explanation?” she asked, and gave a small laugh.

 

Justin smiled. He knew Daphne meant well.

 

“And you think what you just suggested is a logical explanation?”

 

Daphne looked down at her feet. “So, what are you going to do now then?”

 

Justin yawned. “I have no idea. I can’t even think straight right now, I’m so tired.”

 

“It’s because you never slept last night. Come on, come with me,” Daphne said as she got to her feet and took Justin’s hand.

 

“Why? Where are we going?” Justin asked.

 

“We are going to bed. I never slept much last night either, and you look like you could sleep standing up,” she told him.

 

Justin followed Daphne up the stairs. When they got into Daphne’s room, Justin removed his sneakers, trousers and jacket, leaving on his boxers, t-shirt and socks.

Daphne was already wearing her pyjamas anyway, so she didn’t need to change.

 

They both got into Daphne’s bed, and Daphne curled up in behind Justin. “Justin, whatever happens, I want you to know I will be here for you,” she told him, before wrapping her arm around his waist and curling up behind him.

 

Justin put his arm over hers. “Thanks, Daph, that means a lot to me,” he told her.

 

Sleep claimed them both very quickly.

 

A few hours later, Justin was woken by his cell. “Hello.”

 

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Brian asked.

 

Justin slowly sat up, stretching his legs, “Brian, is that you?”

 

“Yeah, I looked you up in the phone book. There aren’t that many Taylors in

The Pitts. Your house phone number was easy enough to find, after I got through to four other people first. Anyway, I talked to your mom and said I was to do with the college, and needed to talk to you personally. She gave me your cell number,” Brian told him.

 

Justin got out of the bed and left the bedroom where Daphne was still sleeping.

 

“Did you find out anything new?” Justin asked, feeling hopeful.

 

“I didn’t, no. But I think I might know of someone who might be able to help you. So can you meet me at around seven outside Woody’s on Liberty Avenue?”

 

“I don’t think I know where Woody’s is, but I’ll find it. Ok then, I’ll see you at seven,” Justin replied.

 

“No, wait. I can pick you up at your house if you want,” Brian suggested, making it easier for Justin.

 

“Yeah, that’s a better idea. Ring my cell when you’re in the area, and I’ll come out to you. We can meet at the park nearby,” Justin told him.

 

Both men hung up, and Justin was beginning to feel that maybe, just maybe, this evening he would find out about what was happening with him. Until then, it was going to be a long day.

 

When Daphne woke up some time later, she made her and Justin some lunch and suggested they go into the town to have a look around some shops.

 

Justin loved walking around the jewellery and nicnac stalls in the market, while Daphne checked out the skirts section He decided now would be the time to buy himself a new wallet.

 

There were many different wallets Justin could have chosen, but the one that caught his attention was a black one with what looked like a pride flag in the middle, and a unicorn head at the bottom corner. There was just something about it - he had to have it.

 

A little while later Justin and Daphne went to a nearby diner to have a snack. “So, Brian said he knows someone who can help you, huh? I really hope you can get to the bottom of what is going on, Justin,” Daphne told her friend. “And Brian seems to really care a lot, which is weird considering you only met him last night,” she continued as she ate some more of her snack.

 

“Perhaps he feels that he owes me something. I did save his life last night,” Justin said. He really didn’t know what to think about who Brian would be taking him to see. It could turn out that he or she would know about as much as they did, and he’d be back at square one again.

 

After they left the diner, Daphne called a cab to take her home first, “Will you call me later and let me know what happens?” she asked.

 

Justin kissed her cheek, and replied, “I promise,” before they parted ways.

 

It was around four o’clock when Justin got home. His parents were still at work and his sister, Molly was still at school, so he decided to boot up his laptop and Google visions again, just in case he and Brian missed something. They hadn’t. He couldn’t find anything new at all. So he turned it off and took a shower.

 

After he showered, he picked out his favourite blue jumper and his black jeans, and got dressed. Deciding to read for a while, Justin searched his bedroom for a book.

 

When Justin got Brian’s phone call at ten to seven, his mom had already called and said she had picked Molly up and had gone to her sister’s house. They wouldn’t be back until after ten, and his dad was working late. Justin told her he would probably sleep at Daphne’s house again that night.

 

Brian had parked his jeep a block away from Justin’s house, right beside the playground just as he had said. When Justin got into the jeep, Brian smiled and leaned across to kiss him. “You look hot, Justin. Blue is definitely your colour,” he told him.

 

“Thanks, Brian. So where are we going? You said you know someone who might be able to help me. I hope he can. Or is it a she?” Justin asked.

 

“It’s a he and a she actually,” Brian said.

 

Justin looked confused. “It’s a drag queen. His name is Mysterious Marilyn. He’s into all that psychic stuff, so I thought he might have an idea of what’s going on,” Brian continued.

 

Feeling a little more at ease, Justin sat back and relaxed in his seat. “I thought psychics were all phoneys. That’s what my mom said two years ago when we were at a fair and I wanted to go and see one. Mom said they take your money and make up stuff, and if they get anything right, it’s just a coincidence,” Justin said. “But I guess it just depends on what you yourself as a person believes. Right?” he asked, as an afterthought.

 

“Yeah, I guess so,” replied Brian. “But he might know what he’s talking about, for all we know. Let’s just wait and see what he has to say,” Brian suggested.

 

“Oh, Justin, do me a favour…”

 

When Brian and Justin arrived at Mysterious Marilyn’s, Justin wasn’t surprised to see a small cottage with a red hand, illuminated, just beside the driveway. “That’s typical,” he said and laughed. The joke wasn’t lost on Brian who smiled.

 

After Brian had parked and they had gotten out, Justin knocked at the front door remembering what he had to do.

 

When the door opened, Justin said, “Hi, I’m looking for Septic Peg,” and kept a straight face, even though inside he was dying to laugh.

 

Marilyn scrunched her eyes together. She hated being called ‘Septic Peg’. Only one person had ever called her that, and it really pissed her off. “You can come out from behind the bush, Brian. I know you put him up to that,” she said, and turned and walked inside muttering ‘asshole’ as she did.

 

Justin and Brian laughed, as Brian materialised from behind the bush.

 

When both men were inside, Marilyn gestured for them to take a seat. “So Justin, Brian said you have visions. Is that correct?” she asked.

 

“Yeah,” replied Justin. “I was hoping you could tell me why.”

 

“Let me think. Hang on,” Marilyn said as she pulled out the drawer on the table they were all sitting round, and took out a very long nail file.

 

Brian and Justin looked at each other, and back at her. She began filing a long painted false nail on her middle finger. “These are the most rubbish nails I’ve ever bought,” she told them. “I bought them at Ruby’s store on Liberty.”

 

Marilyn stopped filing her nail, and put the nail file back in the drawer before closing it, and giving Justin her undivided attention. “Ok, you have a special gift, Justin. In fact, every one of us has something that is unique. Every person is special in some way. But your gift is visions. I know of quite a few people with that gift, and it’s very confusing for them as well,” she told him. “When did you discover you had this gift? Was it recently?” she asked.

 

“It was last night,” replied Justin.

 

“I see. So you must be the twink that saved Brian’s life,” Marilyn said.

 

Seeing the look of confusion on Justin’s face, she added, “It’s all over Liberty Avenue, sweetie,” before continuing. “Well, I have heard of people having one vision in their whole life and no more. Or people who have had many. Whatever the reason was you had the vision, it must have been important or you wouldn’t have had it,” Marilyn said.

 

“But who gives them to us?” Justin asked.

 

Marilyn sat back in her chair, and folded her arms. “Off the top of your own head, tell me where you think they could have come from.”

 

Thinking for a few moments, Justin came to the conclusion that he knew only one logical answer would explain. “God?”

 

Marilyn smiled. “No, sweetie. Have you ever heard of banshees? Legend has it that they carry visions, and that if they walk past us, they pass them on.”

 

“Banshees? I don’t remember a banshee passing me,” Justin said. “And I thought they were made up in any case. Just stories.”

 

“It is unknown precisely when stories of the banshee were first told, but they can be traced back as far as the early eighth century. It is believed they were based on an old Irish tradition. The Irish do not believe the banshee causes death, but merely warns of it. Many see banshees as entertaining folklore, while others genuinely believe in their existence.” Marilyn confirmed.

 

Brian sat very still, taking everything in that was just said. Perhaps Marilyn could be right, he thought. He heard many stories about the creature/woman when he was growing up. Anything was possible, right?

 

“I remember hearing tales that if you heard one cry, someone in your family was going to die. Or if you saw one combing her hair you were going to get sick, but if she threw her comb at you…”

 

“You were going to die?” asked Marilyn. “That’s just a story people used to tell their kids on winter evenings before bed. Poor mites probably had nightmares when they were sat around open fires before play stations came along,” Marilyn said, and laughed.

 

“Wow. I’m not sure what to do with that,” Justin said. Visions, from banshees?

 

Thinking, Justin said, “I thought banshees were an Irish myth, like leprechauns.”

 

“There are many things in this world that are real, leprechauns and their tiny green-clad counterparts are included.”

 

“I don’t remember any banshees passing me,” Justin repeated. “I’m fairly certain I would have noticed a woman with long, red hair and very pale skin or an older woman with stringy grey hair, rotten teeth and fiery red eyes,” Justin told her.

 

“Justin, the banshee can take many forms. She can even make herself invisible if she wants. Various versions of the banshee have been described. For instance, like you just described her - a woman with long, red hair and very pale skin or an older woman with stringy grey hair, rotten teeth and fiery red eyes. Also she can take on the form of a cat or even something passing you by on the street like…”

 

“A potato chip bag?” Justin interrupted.

 

“Perhaps. I never read of that form but I guess it’s possible. After all, she does have many forms, and shifts between them all. Other forms of the banshee include the Bean Nighe and the washerwoman, both more attributed to Scotland than Ireland. The Bean Nighe is said to be the ghost of a woman who died during childbirth and would be seen wearing the clothes of the person about to die while the washerwoman is dressed like a countrywoman and is cleaning bloody rags on a river bank. She changes quite a lot.”

 

“Wow, this is incredible. I never believed any of that stuff, but after what happened last night, I think I do now. It’s the only thing that can explain it, I guess” Justin said.

 

He was very fascinated by everything being told to him.

 

Brian looked on; he had no idea that stuff was even real. How could it be? But nothing else could explain why Justin had those visions.

 

“So if the banshee is an Irish or Scottish legend, why is it here? We’re in America,” Justin queried.

 

“Just because it’s Irish doesn’t mean it has to stay in Ireland, or Scotland for that matter. It goes where it wants to when it wants to. Banshees are all over the world, Justin. They spread themselves out just like we do,” Marilyn said, “as do all things such as the fairies or leprchaun. They all roam the world freely.

 

“I wonder how they manage to get through customs,” Brian asked, sarcastically.

 

Marilyn rolled her eyes.

 

“Ok. So, when did you know you were different?” Justin asked.

 

Brian looked curious too.

 

“I’ve known I was different since I was fifteen,” Marilyn told them both a few moments later. “I had a dream of my grandma getting off a bus; she lost her footing and got knocked over and killed by another bus coming in the other direction. The next day I told my mom about the dream, and an hour later we got a phone call from my grandpa saying my grandma had been knocked over and killed by a bus,” Marilyn continued. “Not long after that, my mom told me that grandpa told her how it happened. He was with grandma at the time. He said she got off one bus, lost her balance and stumbled, and got knocked over,” she added.

 

“So visions can come in dreams as well?” asked Brian.

 

“Yes,” replied Marilyn, “Banshees can most definitely appear in your dreams, taking on any form. Anyway, I see things that happen before they do, but I never had one that told me to save anyone because no one is ever in danger in mine. But Justin’s vision was clear to him right away; he knew he had to save you, Brian. I imagine his gut would have told him to.”

 

Thinking for a few moments, Justin asked, “What will people say about me when they find out?”

 

“Pffft, I get called all sorts of names, some people can be real dicks. Isn’t that right, Brian?” Marilyn asked, glaring at the brunet. Brian said nothing, but glared back.

 

Looking back at Justin, Marilyn said, “You ignore them, Justin. Some people are sceptics, others are too scared to believe, and people like that say mean things. Some even turn violent, it’s happened to me a few times now.”

 

It had been a very interesting evening. Justin and Brian had learned a lot more than they had bargained for, banshees and leprechauns, fairies even. Being as real to the world as they were.

 

“So banshees, is that what we’re falling back on?” Brian asked. “You’re saying that that’s what has given Justin visions? A banshee blowing past him in the wind?” Brian began to laugh. “And you wonder why folks call you names.” He did think there might be truth in what Marilyn was saying, but he didn’t want her to know that. It sounded ridiculous.

 

Marilyn was getting annoyed. “Why don’t you go and sit in your jeep, Brian? And give my bloody head some peace,” she asked.

 

Brian rolled his eyes.

 

Shifting in her seat to get better access to the bottom drawer of the table they were all sitting round, Marilyn opened it and pulled out a leaflet. “Here, read this some time, Justin. It will tell you how to avoid dickheads when you pick up men,” she told the blond.

 

“So are we done here?” Brian asked.

 

“No, there’s a bill,” she told them.

 

Brian and Justin looked at each other, and then looked back at Marilyn, “Who the fuck is Bill? A butterfly that shape shifts into a man, and gives people the gift of turning back time?”

 

“No, you have to pay a bill for my services?” Marilyn said.

 

Justin took out his wallet, and asked how much. Marilyn said she would take forty dollars, and nothing less.

 

“That’s a nice wallet, Justin. What’s that picture of in the corner?” she asked.

 

“Oh, it’s a unicorn,” Justin said.

 

“Let me guess. The unicorn has a special gift too,” Brian said sarcastically.

 

“Actually, many believe that the point of the horn is the third eye. It’s believed that the unicorn has saved many people in the past. It’s said to have visions too. But of course that’s just bedtime tales. The unicorn is a mythical creature, and no one has ever actually seen one to my knowledge,” Marilyn said. “It fascinates me you were attracted to this wallet in the first place. Was it because of the unicorn or the flag?”

 

“I’m not sure. Both probably,” said the blond as he counted out forty.

 

Marilyn clasped Justin’s hands in hers. “It’s ok, Justin, keep your money. This can be a freebie. It is your first time visiting and all.”

 

Justin smiled his megawatt smile, and Marilyn stood back, releasing his hands and shielding her face. “Wow! My goodness, sweetie, your smile could light up a whole town. It’s so bright!” she told him, making Justin laugh. Justin liked Marilyn.

 

“If you two are finished bonding, I’d like to leave. I want to see my son tonight, before I head back to the loft,” Brian said as he made his way to the door.

 

Justin thanked Marilyn for her time, and followed Brian to the door.

 

After Brian and Justin got to the jeep, Brian pushed Justin up against it. “I really need to kiss you,” Brian said, before his lips crashed against Justin’s. Justin returned Brian’s kiss.

 

Brian was about to pull Justin tighter into the kiss when his cell rang. “Never a moment’s peace,” he said.

 

“This better be fucking important,” Brian said into his cell, after answering it.

 

“Michael, I might have known it would be you,” said Brian before laughing a little. Brian pulled way back from Justin’s reach, “What the fuck are you talking about?” Brian asked.

 

Justin sensed something wasn’t right after Brian disconnected the call silently. “Brian, what is it? What’s wrong?”

 

Brian stood motionless, his face had turned pale, “It’s Gus. Someone has taken him from the hospital.”

 

At those words, Justin remembered what he had seen - the vision he had had after leaving Brian’s loft last night. “Shit,” he said. With everything that happened, he had completely forgotten to mention it to Brian.

 

Brian strode quickly round to the driver’s seat and got in. Justin got in to the passenger seat, and they quickly drove off in the direction of the hospital.

 

TBC…


	4. Chapter 4

When Brian and Justin arrived at the hospital Lindsay was sleeping.

 

After the discovery that someone had taken her newborn, she had become hysterical and had been put under immediate sedation.

 

Melanie was in a chair sitting beside Lindsay, holding her hand. She was crying softly, her eyes looked very red. Debbie was trying to console her.

 

Emmett, Michael and Ted were also present.

 

When Brian saw the scene before him, he walked straight into Michael’s outstretched arms, and let the tears he had been holding fall freely.

 

“The nurse said someone just took him, that he’s gone. Why the hell would someone steal a newborn baby from its mother?” Debbie asked, before squeezing Mel’s hand tighter.

 

Debbie didn’t think words existed that could be used for what had been done.

 

Melanie began sobbing harder at Debbie’s words.

 

Emmett was very pale, and Ted looked past shocked at this stage.

 

On the way to the hospital, Justin tried to tell Brian of the grey-haired lady he had seen in his vision taking Gus, but the words wouldn’t come out.

 

Justin stood at the bottom of the bed, just staring at Lindsay, frozen, wishing he had said something last night, and wondering why he hadn’t. Perhaps if he had said something, Gus would still be in the hospital tonight with his parents.

 

*

 

Sometime later Brian left the room and Justin followed him. “I can’t believe this is happening,” Brian said. “I feel like I’m in a fucking dream I can’t wake up from.”

 

Justin put his hand on Brian’s arm. “I can’t imagine how it must feel, Brian,” Justin said, while thinking of how to say the next part. “I have to tell you something. Last night when I left your apartment I was at the bottom of the stairs and I had a vision.”

 

Brian tensed. “What was it?” he asked.

 

“I saw a grey-haired lady leaving this building, she had Gus. She was saying something along the lines of taking better care of him,” Justin confessed.

 

Brian looked really angry. “Why the fuck didn’t you say anything?” he asked.

 

“I tried to get here to do something about it, then you arrived and everything just happened so quickly it slipped my mind,” Justin told him.

 

Brian pushed Justin hard against a wall, gripping tightly onto the neck of his jumper, scaring the blond. “What else do you remember? What did her face look like?”

 

“I only saw her from the side. I didn’t get a good look,” Justin said.

 

Brian loosened his grip, seeing the look of fear in Justin’s eyes. He leaned his head against Justin’s. “I’m sorry. You should have told me,” he rasped. Both men held each other. “You should have fucking told me,” Brian repeated.

 

Justin held Brian as he cried harder than he had before in Michael’s arms. “Let this be a dream, Justin. Please let this be a dream.”

 

“I don’t understand how a human being could steal a baby, Justin. How could someone do that? He was just born last night,” Brian said, still crying.

 

Justin’s heart broke for Brian, even more so now than it did earlier.

 

“Excuse me,” a voice said from behind them. Both men turned to see two policemen. “I’m detective Carl Horvath and this is detective Patrick O’Neill. Which one of you is Brian Kinney?”

 

“I’m Brian,” Brian confirmed, before wiping away his tears.

 

“I know it’s a very hard time for you but can we talk with you, Mr Kinney?” detective Horvath asked.

 

Brian took Justin’s hand in his. “You can talk to us both,” he replied. “Justin can come too.”

 

“As you wish, sir. This way please.” Carl guided them both into a spare room, and gestured to them to take a seat.

 

“Mr Kinney, we viewed some footage of the maternity room at the time your son was taken. We don’t have a clear view of the person who took your baby, but we can make out it’s a woman with grey hair. We spoke to staff and no one has seen her here before.”

 

Brian swallowed the lump in his throat, and wiped a tear that slid down his face. “Find my son. I don’t care how you fucking do it,” he told the detective.

 

Carl sighed deeply. He knew of many cases where toddlers or teenagers had been kidnapped and how distressing that was for the families. He had never known of a baby that was only one day old being taken. He felt really bad for Brian and Gus’s mothers. “Mr Kinney…”

 

“Call me Brian, for fuck sake. I hate being called that,” Brian all but yelled, interrupting Carl.

 

“Of course, Brian. I know words are useless at this time, but please be assured that we are doing everything we can to find your son.”

 

Justin sat quietly.

 

Brian just stared at the detective that was talking to him. “Try harder,” he said.

 

After they talked for a while, Brian and Justin left the hospital. Justin could sense Brian wanted to say something but refrained from doing so.

 

“Why don’t you just say it, Brian? You blame me for not saying anything. And you’re right. If I did say something maybe you, Lindsay and Mel wouldn’t be going through this.”

 

They were standing by the jeep now. Brian looked at Justin. “I don’t blame you, Justin. For some reason I just don’t. Maybe it is your fault for not saying anything but I don’t hold that against you. I don’t know why,” Brian said, as he moved closer to the blond. Stroking his face he continued, “I just can’t be around you right now. I’m going to drop you off where I picked you up, and I want you to stay away from me for a while. Please, Justin.”

 

Tears stung Justin’s eyes. He replied, “If that’s what you want, Brian,” and got into the jeep.

 

The ride was silent with both men lost in thought.

 

When the jeep stopped, Brian didn’t look at Justin before Justin got out, he just looked straight ahead.

 

*

When Justin got home, he let himself in through the back door and crept up to his bedroom. After taking a quick shower, he put on his boxers, t-shirt and a pair of socks and slipped quietly into his bed.

 

He thought it best that he give Brian time to be with his thoughts. Justin knew the brunet had family and friends he could be with who would comfort him at this time.

 

He just wished there was something he could do to help, since he himself believed it was his fault Gus was taken in the first place.

 

Sometime later Justin was just getting comfortable after switching off his bedside lamp when a noise disturbed him.

 

Sitting up in his bed, he switched on his bedside lamp and saw a tiny man sitting in the large armchair beside his bed. “What the…?”

 

“Is fuck the word that was going to end that sentence?” The small man dressed in green, asked.

 

Justin turned himself around so he sat on the side of his bed. “How did you.....? Who are you, and how did you get in here?” He was pretty sure his jaw was sitting on his lap at this stage.

 

“Jaysus, don’t have a heart attack on me, lad. I’m not going to hurt ye, and close your mouth, you’re making an entrance fer all those fleas.”

 

“You’re a…leprechaun,” Justin said, as he stared at the tiny man occupying his armchair. “I must be dreaming.”

 

“Aye, lad, seeing is believing, but feeling is God’s own truth. Touch me if ye need to, to find out that ye aren’t dreaming,” he said.

 

Justin didn’t move, he just sat and smiled. He knew the leprechaun was real so he had no need to touch it.

 

“I thought if we caught you, we got money,” Justin said, and smiled.

 

“If ye need money, lad, get a fecking job. And ye can’t have me lucky charms, they belong to the missus.”

 

Justin laughed before the leprechaun continued. “Ok, I’m here on a mission. Now hear me words, lad. The wee lad is not in any danger from his captor but he does need to return to his mammy safely. The boy is the last in line of males in the Kinney family. No other Kinney lad will be born after him, he’s special. Ye and the lad’s pop are special too. Ye both have very important roles in this world to play. Heed me words, lad.”

 

“What role do we have to play?” Justin asked.

 

“A big change will happen but not until ye consummate your love. Wherever ye go and whatever ye do, may the luck of the Irish be there with ye.” And after those words, the little man dressed in green disappeared.

 

Justin sat stunned. What did he mean by changes would happen when he and Brian fucked? What changes? And what the fuck was a leprechaun doing visiting him in the first place?

 

Justin needed to get to Brian’s loft, fast.

 

After dressing quickly Justin sneaked quietly downstairs, and went into the kitchen and out through the door that led him into the garage where he got his bike and helmet. He put his helmet on and brought the bike through the house and out the back door. His parents and Molly slept soundly upstairs.

 

It was two miles from Justin’s house in the ‘burbs to Brian’s loft. And given how late it was Justin wasn’t looking forward to the trip, especially using his bike. He very seldom used it these days.

 

Thankfully it was after midnight and the roads were almost empty, so getting to Brian’s loft wasn’t as hard as Justin thought.

 

When he arrived at the loft, he got off his bike. As luck would have it, a couple were entering the building. “Hold the door please,” Justin yelled.

 

After getting inside, Justin took the elevator to the top floor. “I really hope you’re home, Brian,” Justin said out loud. “And alone.”

 

Knocking on the door a few times Justin began to get annoyed, so he tried a new tactic. “Brian!”

 

After a few yells the loft door slid open to reveal Brian’s friend, Michael, “Hey, Boy Wonder, do you have any idea what time it is?”

 

Justin pushed past Michael. “Where’s Brian? Is he here?”

 

Brian walked down the stairs that led to his bedroom. “Who the fuck is it”? he asked, squinting his eyes, looking in Justin’s direction.

 

“Brian, I spoke to a leprechaun!” Justin blurted out.

 

Michael stared at Justin, and leaned into Brian. “He must’ve gotten the same shit from Anita that you did tonight.”

 

“Brian saw a leprechaun standing at the window earlier,” Michael said before he laughed. “Just before I got here,” he continued.

 

Brian and Justin looked at each other, and Brian turned to Michael. “Take the jeep home, Michael. I want to be alone with Justin,” he said.

 

“You’re kicking me out for a trick?” Michael asked. The look on his face said he wasn’t amused.

 

“Michael, please, I’ll call you tomorrow,” Brian told him.

 

After Michael had closed the door behind him the first thing Justin did was hug Brian. “I’m sorry to call so late but I had to see you,” he said.

 

“What do you mean you saw a leprechaun?” Brian asked Justin, before gently disengaging himself from Justin’s embrace.

 

“When I was trying to sleep, I heard a noise and when I looked at my armchair beside my bed that’s where he was sitting.”

 

“I thought I saw one over there earlier,” Brian said, and gestured towards the window with his head. “But because I had smoked some pot I wasn’t sure if I was seeing things.”

 

“What did it want?” Brian asked, his voice low and raspy.

 

“He said Gus is not any danger from who took him, but he does need to return to his mom. Also that he is the last male in the Kinney family line. He said something about us being special and big changes will happen when we consummate our love,” Justin said that last line nervously.

 

Brian looked at him. “Never heard that line to get me into bed before. Good one, sunshine.”

 

Brian sighed. “Did it tell you where we can find my son?”

 

 

“No, but before he left he did say, ‘wherever ye go and whatever ye do, may the luck of the Irish be there with ye’,” Justin mimicked in an Irish accent. “I think it must be an Irish blessing or something,” he continued, using his own accent again.

 

“I remember that saying. It was on a wooden plaque just as you came through the front door of my parents’ house when I was a growing up. It’s probably still there, I’m not sure,” Brian said. “My father was Irish,” he continued when he noticed Justin looking at him questioningly.

 

Justin walked over and sat on the sofa, Brian followed him. “Sorry I came here when you said to stay away but I thought you might want to know about what happened tonight.”

 

“It’s ok that you came, Justin. I’m glad you did,” Brian said, then leaned in closer to Justin and rested his head on Justin’s shoulder. “I didn’t really want Michael here tonight; he was fussing over me too much. He means well, he was just getting on my nerves,” Brian continued.

 

Brian quickly fell asleep while Justin threaded his fingers through the dark locks that covered his head. Justin fell asleep not long after.

 

As Justin walked through the unfamiliar surroundings, he took in what he was seeing. Walls that needed painting badly. Furniture that needed repairing, carpets that needed cleaning. It wasn’t hard to know that this house belonged to someone who wasn’t a WASP like he was. He saw a framed photo of people, and walked over to get a better look. It was a man, a woman, a boy and a girl. The man was smiling, but no one else in the photo was. Justin looked closer at the boy and could clearly see a purplish mark under one of his eyes, the purple top he was wearing brought it out more. The boy looked quite scared too. Justin thought both the boy and girl looked to be no older than ten years old.

 

Justin moved along from the photo, and opened a door to what he assumed was a sitting room. There was a crib in the corner, and a woman sitting next to it smoking a cigarette. She was sitting on a discoloured rocking chair looking into the crib, and gently rocking it.

 

“My beautiful Gus,” the woman said, before turning and looking at Justin. “You won’t take him from me, he’s all I have left of my…” and that’s when Justin awoke.

 

“Are you ok, Justin? You’re skin feels like fire,” Brian told him.

 

Justin was breathing fast. “I had a dream, Brian. I was in a house; Gus was there, I think. A lady was sitting beside a crib rocking it. She said ‘you won’t take him from me, he’s all I have left of my...’, but then I woke up.”

 

“What else do you remember?” Brian asked.

 

Justin thought. “The house needed repairing, and there was a photograph. I think it might have been a family picture. I took a good look at the people in it. It was a man, a woman, a boy and a girl. It looked like the boy had a bruise on his face and he looked scared, I think. The only person smiling in the photo was the dad.”

 

Brian sat back fully on the sofa. “Was the boy wearing a purple shirt?” he asked.

 

Justin thought back. “I think so, why?”

 

“That boy in the picture is me, Justin. I think I know who took my son. My mother.”

 

“We should call the police but first we need to find out. You call us a cab to take us to Michael's to get your jeep,” Justin suggested, but Brian was already on his cell to a taxi cab servce.

 

“You coming or what?” Brian asked.

 

Justin really shouldn’t miss another day of school, or they’d phone his mom to find out if he was ok. He’d need to phone Daphne on the way, she’d make up an excuse for him like she always did.

 

“I’m coming,” Justin replied.

 

TBC…


	5. Chapter 5

After Brian and Justin picked up the jeep at Michael’s, Justin sent Daphne a text message – Daph, I need you to cover for me today please. I have a lot to tell you and I promise I will do that once things get back to normal, if ever they do. But I will tell you everything when I can. I promise you.

 

When that was done, Justin looked at Brian. “I really hope Gus is at your mom’s house, Brian.”

 

“You must have had that dream for a reason, Justin. Even if it was just a banshee or something imitating what you saw, it was obviously showing the right way to you. Remember what Marilyn said? ‘They can show you the way in dreams too’,” Brian said.

 

“I hope so, Brian,” Justin replied.

 

The drive didn’t take long to Brian’s old family home. Brian looked at the house before them. “The curtains are closed. There doesn’t look to be much life around here. Not that there ever was, unless it was miserable. Right, let’s go,” Brian said as he got out of the jeep. Justin followed.

 

 

When Brian opened the front door to his family home, everything was all quiet. “Mom!” he yelled, after entering the house. “Where the fuck are you?”

 

Justin followed wearily behind, taking in the surroundings once again. Including the photograph of Brian along with his mom, dad and sister.

 

“In my dream she was inside a room,” Justin told Brian.

 

Brian opened the sitting room door, and they both saw Joan sitting beside a crib. “You won’t take him from me; he’s all I have left of my family. Everyone else has abandoned me,” Joan said as she blew her cigarette smoke over the crib. “He’s all I have left,” she repeated.”

 

After crushing her cigarette in the ashtray on the table beside the crib, Joan reached in and lifted Gus out, and held him gently on her chest.

 

Brian and Justin walked further into the room. “Have you lost your fucking mind? You can’t steal a baby from its mother. Give him back to me now!” Brian yelled.

 

Joan held on to Gus a little tighter. “And let him be brought up in a house of sin? No, I’m doing a good thing. My grandson won’t be brought up by lesbian parents. I won’t allow it.”

 

Brian couldn’t believe his ears. “Homosexual parents?” he asked. “As opposed to drunken abusive parents? Let me tell you something, mother dearest. Your grandson, my son, will be brought up loved. He won’t ever have to cower in a basement where he sleeps with the fear of getting more broken bones or bruised skin, while his mother stands idly by and watches and does nothing. He will never go through the pain and suffering I was put through in this hellhole. Now give him back, or I swear to the God you profess to love and obey, I will not be responsible for my fucking actions,” Brian said.

 

“Brian, I’ll call the station,” Justin said, and left the room to make the call.

 

“Don’t you see, Brian? I can right my mistakes by doing this. I can do for him what I never did for you. When your father died, it was a new beginning for me. I could start again, make a new life. Then I heard from my friend, Dolores that works in Allegheny general hospital that I was a grandmother, and she heard that lesbians were raising him. I was furious. How could you do that, Brian? How could you just give away your son?”

 

Brian couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Had his mother gone crazy?

 

“Give away my son? Never. I will be a part of his life and he will want for nothing. And it’s none of your fucking business what I do. You lost any say in my life the second I left for college. Now I won’t tell you again, give me my fucking son!”

 

“He will be safe here, Brian. I will love him and take good care of him,” Joan said, and kissed the baby’s cheek.

 

“You blew fucking smoke over his crib, and the whole room reeks of it and God knows what else I can smell in here!” Brian yelled.

 

Joan stood up, and snuggled Gus. “I just want a second chance, Brian. He’s safe here, and lesbians will not raise him. You know how I feel about them, Brian. It’s a sin, an abomination to God. I love him, Brian. I do.”

 

Brian ran both his hands through his hair. “He’s not staying here. Now give him to me,” he said.

 

At that moment, Justin returned through the door. “The cops are on their way, Brian.”

 

“Cops?” Joan asked, “Why on earth would you call the cops? Do you think they will let you take Gus to be raised in a home, like the one you have set out for him?” Joan began laughing hysterically. “They won’t. They will decide he will be better loved here, you’ll see,” she said, and sat down on the chair again.

 

“What has happened to you, mom? Do you have any idea what you have put us all through. Do you even care? Gus’s moms are beside themselves with worry, and probably think they’ll never see him again.”

 

Brian walked to where his mom was now sitting. “Please mom, give my son back to me. And that’s the only time I’m going to ask you nicely,” he told her.

 

Tears slowly fell down Joan’s cheeks. “I can’t Brian, he’s all I have. Your father is gone, and Claire never comes anymore. She hates me, and so do her kids. I don’t have any friends, and the ones I did have were your father’s. Once he died they never even acknowledged me. You could say they weren’t really my friends anyway. I have no one, Brian, no one.”

 

“Tell your sob story to the cops, mom. I’m not interested in it,” Brian said.

 

Without thinking, Justin walked over to Joan and gently lifted Gus from her arms. Joan released him. “Gus is not your baby, Mrs Kinney. He belongs with his moms. And it doesn’t matter if you think you can take better care of him better than they can, he still belongs to them,” Justin said.

 

Justin gave Gus to Brian, and Brian held him close to his heart. Tears fell freely down Brian’s face, tears he didn’t know he had been holding back.

 

“If you make mistakes in your life, Mrs Kinney, you fix them instead of adding to them. Taking Brian and Lindsay’s son to make amends is insane. You’ll be lucky if either one of them forgives you for this,” Justin said, while rubbing Brian’s arm.

 

Brian stroked Justin’s face, and leaned in and kissed his lips for a few seconds. “Thank you, Justin,” he said, after pulling back.

 

Joan’s mouth fell open, “No, no way. My son is not a homosexual. I won’t allow that, Brian. No son of mine is gay. No way,” Joan said, and stood up. “Your father will be turning in his grave, Brian.”

 

“Yeah, well fuck him. And fuck you too, mom,” Brian said. He turned to Justin, “See if you can find a blanket over there, that doesn’t reek of smoke.”

 

After finding a blanket, Justin opened it out on his chest, and Brian placed Gus on to it. Justin wrapped it round the baby. That’s when there was a knock at the door, alerting the arrival of the cops.

 

When the cops took Joan away, Brian found a baby car seat, and put Gus into it. “I’ll sit in the back with Gus, Brian,” Justin said.

 

After Brain had fastened Gus’s car seat into the back, Justin got in as well. Brian leaned over a sleeping Gus, and kissed Justin gently on the lips. “I will never be able to repay you for what you did for me, Linds and Mel here today, Justin. Thank you with my whole heart. Thank you.”

 

“You’re welcome, Brian. Now let’s get Gus back to the hospital to his moms,” Justin said.

 

After getting Gus back to Lindsay and Mel, who were over the moon at their baby being returned, Brian took Justin to a restaurant for dinner. “I can’t believe we found him, that he’s ok. Lindsay and Melanie were very happy to see him, Brian,” Justin said.

 

“Yeah, Lindsay was shocked that I even went over to mom’s in the first place. I don’t think she bought our story at all,” Brian said, before putting a fork full of salad into his mouth.

 

“We were passing by the neighbourhood, and thought we’d pop in and say hi, and that’s when we saw the crib in the corner of your mom’s sitting room? I think it’s a feasible story,” Justin said.

 

Brian looked up at Justin. “Not if you hate your mom as much as I hate mine. I had no reason to want to call near the house, even if I was visiting someone who lives next door to it,” he said.

 

“Oh. At least they didn’t question you on it. They were too happy to think of anything other than Gus being back and safe,” Justin said.

 

Brian thought for a moment. “Some day in the future, Lindsay will be cooking dinner when I’m over visiting Gus, and she’ll bring it up then. Nothing goes past her without it being discussed first,” Brian said.

 

Justin laughed. “That sounds like my mom.”

 

A few moments of silence passed, before Justin spoke. “I guess we have that leprechaun to thank for helping us find Gus.”

 

Brian looked confused. “What the fuck did he do?” he asked.

 

“Well, he did say, ‘wherever ye go and whatever ye do, may the luck of the Irish be there with ye’,” Justin said, mimicking an Irish accent. “That was our first clue. You said yourself it was written on a plaque in your home. Perhaps when he said that, he thought I might not say anything about it, or hoped I would. I don’t know.”

 

“It’s a good thing you pay attention. It doesn’t matter now anyway. Gus is safe, and tomorrow they are allowed to take him home, I think,” Brian said.

 

“I’m just so glad he’s safe, Brian, especially since it was my fault he got taken in the first place. If I had said…” Justin didn’t get to finish that sentence as Brian pulled him closer, crashing their lips together.

 

After releasing Justin from the toe-curling kiss, Brian said, “It was a mistake, Justin, everyone makes mistakes. You went to the hospital to do something about it, and got sidetracked. I’m the one who sidetracked you, so it’s my fault too. Besides, it doesn’t matter anymore, Gus is safe.”

 

Justin smiled. “Yeah, ok.”

 

“Now let’s get the fuck out of here, and head back to my place. You have no idea how much I want to sink my cock into that hot ass of yours,” Brian said, and grabbed Justin by the wrist and all but pulled him from the restaurant to the jeep.

 

On the way to the loft, Justin said the words that had been inside his head since he spoke to the little green guy. “A big change will happen but not until you consummate your love.”

 

“What’s that?” Brian asked.

 

“That’s what the leprechaun said. ‘A big change will happen but not until you consummate your love’.”

 

“I thought that was just something you were saying to get me into bed,” Brian joked.

 

Justin smiled. “Brian, wait. I can’t go to the loft with you, not this evening. I have been putting Daphne off. I need to talk to her. I want to go to her house. Will you drive me there, please?”

 

Not believing his ears, Brian replied, “You’re turning down a night of hot sex with me, to spend time with pussy. I thought you were gay,” he joked.

 

“I take it that’s an irregular occurrence for you,” Justin queried.

 

“No one has ever turned me down. It’s impossible for them to,” Brian said, making Justin smile.

 

“I can come over later if you want. I just need to spend some time with Daph; I really do need to catch her up on everything. I promised her I would. I’ll get a cab over later, I promise. Then you can have your wicked way with me, ok?”

 

“Yeah, but try not to be too long if you can. My cock needs attention badly.”

 

When Justin got to Daphne’s, he thought Brian was going to fuck him right there in the front seat when they started kissing. “Brian, I have to go. I will be over at your place in a few hours, I promise.”

 

Reluctantly, Brian let Justin leave the jeep and go inside.

 

“Hi, Mrs Chanders. Is Daphne home?” Justin asked Daphne’s mom, when he met her in the kitchen.

 

“Hey, Justin, she’s in her room. You know the way,” Mrs Chanders said.

 

Justin ran up the stairs, and into Daphne’s room, “Daph,” he said, after walking in.

Daphne looked up from doing her homework. “Hey Justin, it’s about time you got here,” she said.

 

“Yeah, I know I should have come sooner, but so much has happened…”

 

Justin proceeded to tell Daphne the things that had happened since they last spoke

 

“A leprechaun?” Daphne asked.

 

“I know, right? And he was so cute. At first I thought I was seeing things, then he told me to touch him. That’s when I knew he was really there.”

 

Daphne looked confused.

 

“Well, we can’t touch them, Daphne. Legend has it, that if we catch them we get a pot of gold or some shit. But he made it quite clear if I wanted money I should get a ‘fecking job’ and that his lucky charms belonged to his missus.” Both Justin and Daphne laughed after Justin finished that last sentence.

 

“I’m just glad the baby is back with his mom,” Daphne said. “I can’t believe someone would steal a baby, no matter what the reason.”

 

Daphne thought for a moment. “Wow, that sounds like a fairy tale you’re telling me. Banshees, leprechauns the whole lot, but it’s all the truth. I can’t believe it at the same time, even though I know it’s true. That’s strange,” said Daphne, after sitting back on her bed, closer to the headboard.

 

Justin lay back on the bed. “Yeah, it’s been a really strange experience. I never actually had time to sit down and process everything in my head, since that first vision I had.”

 

“So, what do you think will happen after you and Brian fuck?” Daphne asked.

 

“I guess we’ll find out later tonight,” replied the blond.

 

Daphne’s mom came into the bedroom, with milk and cookies and other small sundries for them. “I figured you two would have so much to talk about, since it’s been a few days now that you were last here, Justin. This is just in case you both feel like a snack,” she said before leaving them both alone again.

 

“Do you mind if I sleep for an hour, Daph?” Justin asked. It had been a long day and he was really tired.

 

“Of course, Justin. I love it when we sleep together,” Daphne joked.

 

Both Daphne and Justin held each other until they had both fallen asleep.

 

‘Justin found himself sitting at a bus stop, alone. It was dark and the only thing illuminating where he sat, was a street lamp. The traffic was very light, barely a car in sight.

 

Feeling a chill run up his spine, Justin looked to his left and saw a young girl with long red curly hair now sitting next to him. Justin guessed the girl could only be twelve. “You scared me. You weren’t there a second ago,” he said. “Who are you?” he asked her.

 

“I’m Kerry, and you are Justin,” she said.

 

Justin looked a bit surprised. “You know my name?”

 

“Of course,” replied the girl. “You are big news where I am from. You are about to make history in the world in a way no one else ever has. Who would have guessed that one simple thing could change the lives of probably half of the people in the world? You could be mentioned in history books years from now. But of course, when the change happens, only the powers that be, or us if you like will know the real reason behind it. Brian Kinney was a man who was beyond lost in the world, but the night he met you his life changed and he didn’t even realise it. I don’t think he has realised it yet. He doesn’t have any faith in anyone, nor does he believe in love. But only you can make him see that it does exist and tonight you will. He needs you, Justin. Only you can show him the way.” And after those words, Justin woke up.

 

“Show him the way?” Justin said, after he opened his eyes, “And what will happen after we fuck? Will mankind discover that leprechauns and banshees are real?” Justin asked Daphne, who simply stirred in her sleep.

 

Whatever would happen after they fucked, Justin was about to find out after he called a cab, and arrived at Brian’s loft.

 

A change that would take the world by storm was about to take place, and what that was, only time would tell.

 

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

***

When Justin arrived at the loft, Brian had already opened the door and was waiting over by the fridge. “I see you made it, and not a moment too soon,” he said.

 

Justin laughed a little. “Yeah, I took a cab,” he replied.

 

Brian slowly walked over to Justin, and ran his hands slowly down his chest. “Good to know,” Brian said, in a raspy voice before he crashed his lips against Justin’s.

 

Justin kissed Brian back, and pulled him tighter to him. “I need to be inside you right now,” Brian said. “I can’t wait any longer,” he continued, before kissing his way down his neck.

 

“Don’t wait, Brian. I want you,” Justin said.

 

Brian took Justin’s hand, and led him over to his bedroom and resumed the kiss. This time their bodies responded to each other differently than before, and Brian felt something he couldn’t explain to himself. “You do something to me no one else ever has before, but I don’t know what that is,” Brian said, after pulling back. “Something feels different,” he added.

 

“From the first night we met Brian, everything has felt different for me,” Justin told him.

 

Justin began to remove his clothes, and Brian followed suit, not taking their eyes off each other.

 

Brian stroked Justin’s face. “You are really beautiful, Justin,” he told him before leaning in to kiss him.

 

Justin lay on the bed, and Brian got on top of him. Justin then wrapped his legs around Brian’s waist, pulling him in closer.

 

“Wait, I have to tell you something. I’m still a virgin,” Justin confessed. “I haven’t had sex before. Yet for some reason, I feel hornier than I ever have. I want you right now so bad,” Justin said.

 

“You’ve got me,” Brian told him.

 

After preparing Justin’s hole and sheathing himself, Brian proceeded to gently fuck Justin, wanting his first time to be something he’d remember.

 

A rumble of thunder stopped him and he looked deeper into Justin’s eyes. “I think whatever is going to happen, has happened. In movies thunder is usually a sign,” Brian said.

 

“Keep moving, Brian,” Justin told him, “Whatever has happened, we can wait to find out. I can’t wai., I need to come now!”

 

Doing as he was told, Brian fucked Justin harder and faster until both men came. As Brian and Justin came, the whole room lit up and the thunder rolled again, frightening them both.

 

In a mass of sweat Brian pulled out, got off Justin’s body and looked around the room. He then turned and looked at his ass before touching it, and running his fingers through his hair, “Well, I don’t have horns and a tail, that’s a good start. And you don’t either,” he said when he saw Justin looking at him questioningly.

 

“Why would we have horns and a tail? And even if we did, how would that change the world?” Justin asked.

 

“Good point,” replied Brian, before realising he was still wearing the condom. He pulled it off and went into the bathroom and put it in the trashcan.

 

Afterwards he washed his hands, and brought Justin in the washcloth to clean him with. “You’re such a kind gentle person, Brian. The fates knew what they were doing when they chose to have you saved that night.”

 

“Thanks, Justin, that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me,” Brian said sarcastically, but smiled at the same time.

 

After wiping Justin’s stomach and chest, Brian threw the cloth into the wash basket and got in bed with Justin. “I guess we should probably sleep now. Thankfully tomorrow is Saturday and we don’t need to be up early, so we can wait until we get up to find out what has happened. I’m putting my money on Melanie sprouting a cock and balls overnight,” Brian said, making them both laugh.

 

“You are so bad,” Justin joked.

 

Brian snuggled up behind Justin, and wrapped his arm around him protectively. “Sleep well, sunshine,” he said.

 

Soon after both men fell asleep.

 

When Justin had entered the loft they didn’t realise that, Kerry had followed him and was still watching over them. Nor did they feel the banshee dust she sprinkled over them just as the room lit up, before they heard the second clap of thunder.

 

Everything was going according to plan, and Kerry silently slipped away. Her job here was now done.

 

Brian couldn’t remember the last time he was in a chapel, yet here he was. And not only was he in a chapel, he was standing at the altar wearing a tuxedo.

 

The chapel was beautifully decorated with golden Gardenias, and white ribbons were everywhere. There was something missing from this picture though…people.

 

Brian was alone in the chapel.

 

As Brian looked around the chapel, people started to materialise around it, filling all the chairs.

 

“Well?” asked the familiar voice beside him. Brian looked to his side and saw Justin standing next to him. Justin was also wearing a tux with a golden Gardenia attached to the breast pocket. After examining his own, Brian realised one was also attached to his.

 

Brian looked confused. “I don’t understand what’s happening. Why are we here?”

 

“We are getting married, dummy,” replied Justin, before smiling sweetly.

 

“Married? But I don’t believe in marriage. Why would I get married? And why is your hair longer now than it was earlier. What the fuck is happening?” Brian asked. “And how the hell did we get here?” he added, looking around.

 

Justin looked at the priest apologetically, and excused them both. Taking Brian’s hand he led them both away from the priest and guests into a private room. “Don’t you remember, Brian? After we fucked, same-sex marriage became legal in Pittsburgh and then not long after that, the rest of the world. Of course I had to wait four years until you finally decided to admit that you loved me, and then you asked me to marry you. Now, here we are.”

 

Brian clutched his stomach. “I’m going to be sick. I’m having a fucking nightmare. This is a nightmare,” he stated, before looking away from Justin. “It’s a nightmare or a prank, but this isn’t really happening,” he continued.

 

“It is happening, Brian. You don’t think that way anymore. A lot has changed since the bombing of Babylon. Don’t you remember?” Justin asked.

 

“Bombing of Babylon?” Brian asked.

 

The word ‘Babylon’ still fell from his mouth as woke up to see a concerned Justin looking down upon him.

 

“It was just a dream. Thank fuck for that,” Brian said, after getting his bearings.

 

“You were saying no a lot. What were you dreaming about? Wildfires sweeping through Pittsburgh?” Justin asked.

 

Brian got out of the bed, and went into the bathroom, “No, it was worse than that. I was about to get married,” he said, before closing the door behind him.

 

Justin thought for a few moments, and when Brian returned from the bathroom, he asked, “Was it to Melanie?”

 

“No, it was to you actually. But it wasn’t that I was marrying you, it was just the whole marrying thing. Justin, I don’t believe in marriage or commitment of any kind,” Brian said. “Besides, same-sex marriage isn’t even legal in Pittsburgh and never will be, I imagine,” he continued.

“Stranger things have happened, Brian. You do remember the last week, right?” Justin asked with a smile. “Leprechauns, banshees and all that other stuff. I believe anything is possible.”

 

Just then the phone beside Brian’s bed rang. Brian checked caller ID and picked it up “Did Melanie grow a pair over night?” he asked sarcastically.

 

“What? Slow down, Linds. How is that possible? Yeah, I never either. How the fuck should I know? Calm down and phone me back later. I need to talk to Justin, bye,” Brian said, and hung up.

 

“Is everything okay?”

 

“I need some Valium, and a lot of Whiskey.”

 

“Is it Gus?” Justin asked, concerned.

 

“No, he’s fine,” Brian said, looking a bit shocked. “Lindsay was telling me that same-sex marriage has just become legal in the Pitts. Apparently it’s all over the news and in all the papers.”

 

Justin got up from the bed, and walked over to where Brian was standing at the foot of the bed. “Is this the big change after we consummate our love? Same-sex marriage becoming legal in the Pitts?” Justin asked, dumbfounded.

 

“I thought it was supposed to be a world-changing event, whatever it was. This is only in one state of our country,” replied Brian.

 

“Maybe it will become a world-wide thing, and will gradually happen,” suggested Justin.

 

“I don’t know. I need a shower,” said Brian, before heading back into the bathroom.

 

Justin put on his jeans and went over to the long windows, and looked out at the snowflakes falling onto the street. “What the fuck is really going on?” he whispered, hoping that the powers that be, or whoever the fuck it was, would hear him and reply.

 

“I would think the dream Brian had, explained everything,” said a voice in Justin’s head, a voice that belonged to a woman.

 

Justin closed his eyes, and replied, “So after we had sex, same-sex marriage would become legal? And what about homophobia?” Justin asked.

 

“Homophobia is to do with hate, Justin. As long as mankind exists I’m afraid hate always will too. You are missing the big picture, Justin,” the woman said. “You have taken the heart of a man who doubted love, and made him believe in its existence, acknowledging it. He may not tell you yet, because he is stubborn. But he now believes in love on a much deeper level, and it will continue to grow. And as for why you were chosen..... We chose you, Justin, because you were innocent. A virgin, even. And you made him believe,” the woman continued.

 

“So a man who didn’t believe in love fucks a virgin, and then believes in love? He could have fucked plenty of virgins in the past, for all I know. What did any of this have to do with me?” Justin queried.

 

“The night you met Brian, you had that vision to save him. Correct?” the woman asked. “Well, everything was set in motion after that. The visions of his child being born, and then taken. You were chosen because you were the virgin who was in the right place at the right time. It was very important that Brian was saved,” the woman told Justin.

 

After a few moments of thought, Justin asked, “But why Brian?”

 

“We all have love in us, even Brian does. But he forgot how to use it. When he met you that started to change. Of course he cares for the people in his life, but the love he has for you and his son is not the same. In order for love to be shared by everyone, it makes sense to wait to see it grow. But it came out of the blue for Brian, when he wasn’t expecting it. Same-sex love is the same Justin, everyone deserves to be happy. That’s why after you and Brian made love things changed,” she said.

 

“So that’s what the big change was? Same-sex marriage becoming legal around the world? Equal rights? And all that had to happen was you had to wait for someone like Brian to come along, with his fucked-up beliefs in love? Wow, I never saw that one coming.” said Justin, amused.

 

“Who are you talking to?” asked Brian, when he returned from the bathroom.

 

Justin’s eyes flew open, and he turned to face him. “Actually, I’m not sure. I didn’t recognise the voice. But what she said was very insightful,” replied Justin.

 

Brian walked up behind Justin, and wrapped his arms around his slender frame. Nuzzling his neck, Brian asked, “What did she say?”

 

Justin retold what was said to him, and Brian laughed. “First banshees, then leprechauns, and now equal rights? What the fuck world am I living in?”

 

Justin turned in Brian’s arms, and faced him. “And all because you didn’t believe in love, but now you do,” replied Justin.

 

Brian smiled, and said, “There is definitely something that feels different to me,” before crashing his lips against Justin’s.

 

Justin didn’t feel himself falling to the ground from Brian’s arms. Nor did he know where he was when he woke up in a hospital with his mother sitting beside his bed, holding his hand.

TBC...


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me long to post this chapter

***

When Justin opened his eyes, he saw that his mom was sitting beside him.

 

Looking around the room he realised he was in a hospital, “What happened?” He asked, as he began to sit up.

 

Justin’s mom gently pushed him back down, so that his head rested on his pillow again, “You collapsed, Justin,” Jennifer Taylor replied, “You and Daphne went out last night to a place I haven’t heard of, called Liberty Avenue. Daphne phoned me to tell me you were here. Your father just left us; he has gone to pick Molly up from your aunt’s house. How do you feel?”

 

Justin felt a little bit disorientated, “I don’t know. I guess I’m OK. My head hurts,” he said.

 

Then something occurred to him, “Where is Brian?”

 

“Who’s Brian? Is he a friend of you and Daphne?” Jennifer asked.

 

“No, he’s...” What was he, his lover?

 

At that moment, Justin heard two doctors that entered the room talking, “…and they said some guy called Brian Kinney died. That the Babylon sign flew off the wall and crushed him. It was so sad, Dennis was heart broken. Apparently Brian was the stud of Liberty Avenue, and had promised him a great fuck some time,” the guy said.

 

Justin froze, “Brian,” he whispered, before screaming, “Noooo! He’s not dead I saved him. I got that vision and jumped in his path and knocked him away from the sign!” Justin yelled.

 

The two doctors rushed over to Justin, to try and restrain him, “Settle down son, you can’t shout like that on this ward, people are resting,” one of them said.

 

“Please, don’t let Brian be dead. He can’t be dead,” Justin said through gritted teeth as he was held down more forcefully, “Please, no. I saved him. He’s not dead. I was just with him,” Justin went on.

 

Jennifer agreed when told by the doctor’s that Justin should be sedated, even though the blond protested, “No, don’t do this please. You can’t let them do that mom, no. Please,” he pleaded.

 

“Justin, you must relax,” the doctor said before administering the sedation into his arm. Justin squirmed, “No, you can’t do this, no!” he said loudly.

 

After feeling the pinch on his arm from the needle, Justin waited for sleep to claim him with a gut feeling of something being very wrong. He wondered briefly if the events that took place could maybe have been a dream.

 

Opening his eyes a few moments later, Justin realised sleep had not claimed him, and he looked up at the faces of his mother and the two doctors beside her. Upon further notice, Justin saw Brian standing behind them all, “Come back to me, Justin. I need you. I need you to stay in my life,” he said, “Please Justin,” he added.

 

Justin closed his eyes again, and when he reopened them he was laying on the floor in the loft, in Brian’s arms, “Are you OK? I thought I had lost you there. What the hell happened, Justin”?

 

Justin sat up, and looked around, “I’m not sure. I dreamt I was in a hospital, and I heard two doctors say that you had died the night of my first vision. The night I saved you. I told them they were wrong, you were still alive and that I had just been with you. I was so confused Brian. I wondered if I had maybe dreamt everything that happened but then I saw you standing behind them and you said to come back to you, that you needed me in your life,” Justin told him. Looking confused, Justin added, “I don’t understand it’s meaning at all, but I can’t tell you how happy I am it was just a dream. When I felt I had lost you I…” Brian kissed Justin before he had the chance to finish what he was saying.

 

“Why couldn’t we just have met under normal circumstances, like you were standing under a street light when I first saw you and was captured by your beauty, and just had to have you right away”? Brian asked, after he pulled back from the kiss and looked into Justin’s eyes.

 

Justin thought for a moment, “Under a street light, huh? I like that. It’s kind of romantic.”

 

Getting to his feet and helping Justin to his, Brian said, “Tell anyone I said that, and I’ll deny it,” before they both laughed.

 

“Are you sure you are OK? Perhaps you should sit for a while. I can make us some coffee, if I have any. Or I can go out and get you some from that corner place at the end of the block,” Brian suggested.

 

“Brian, I don’t want coffee. I’m fine, just a headache. Some pain killers might help it,” Justin replied.

 

Brian marched off to his bedroom, and looked inside his bedside drawer for the needed items and brought them over to Justin, “Here. Oh, let me grab you some water from the fridge,” he told Justin.

 

“No need,” Justin said, after swallowing down the painkillers.

 

Justin sat on the sofa, “I hope it doesn’t take too long for the pills to work, my head feels really painful at the minute,” Justin said, after closing his eyes.

 

Hearing a gasp from Brian, Justin opened his eyes to see a vision in white standing before them both, “Brian,” Justin whispered.

 

“I see it, Justin,” Brian said, his eyes firmly fixed on a very familiar ethereal woman.

 

“You’re afraid of me,” the woman stated, “You have no need to be, I am one of you, Justin,” she continued.

 

“One of me?” Justin asked, feeling confused.

 

The woman walked closer to Justin and placed her hand on Justin's head, bringing forth memories kept hidden. Letting him know that the memories he had of his current life were placed there by powers that he didn't, until that time, know even existed.

 

Closing his eyes, Justin absorbed every detail given to him.

 

Upon Justin's memory returning, the scenery began to change around them both, “What's happening”? Brian asked.

 

“This is my world”, replied Justin, looking at Brian, waiting of his reaction.

 

“It's so beautiful here, like paradise,” Brian said, walking toward a very large open window.

 

As he entered onto the balcony the soft warm breeze blew the hair from Brian's forehead, as the full view of what was out there came into his sight.

 

Justin walked up behind Brian and placed his hand on Brian's shoulder, looking straight a head, “I can assure you, if you spend as much time here as I have, looking out there will get boring after a while,” Justin told Brian, before his hand dropped from Brian's shoulder and he turned and walked back inside.

 

“You get bored with this?” Brian asked, not talking his eyes from the view before him.

 

After hearing no reply, Brian slowly turned and walked inside to find Justin sitting on a very large bed of pure white linen, “Why did you bring me here,” Brian asked, “What's going on?” He added.

 

Justin patted the spot beside him, gesturing for Brian to sit. Brian sat next to Justin and waited patiently for him to speak, “Ever since I have met you Justin, nothing makes sense to me any more. I feel like I am living in a world that isn't real,” Brian said.

 

“As a human we are all given things before coming into the world. Five senses which are hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch. Some people are given a sixth sense which is seeing into the supernatural world,” Justin explained, Brian looked at Justin waiting for him to continue.

 

“My reason for coming to you when I did is because you blocked out one of those senses, can you guess which one that might be,” Justin asked sarcastically, knowing Brian knew the right answer.

 

“Yea,” Brian replied, “The night my son was born, it came back to me. I had forgotten how to love, it had been a long time since I ever felt it, if I ever really felt it to begin with. I felt more love from Debbie than my own God damn mother, can you believe that?” Brian asked, “I know she loved me, and still does. Vic too, and Michael I guess. But I never really loved them back, I cared about them but I don't think I ever really loved them,” Brian continued.

 

Justin changed his seating position on the bed, he was now kneeling, “Keep talking to me Brian, tell me more,” Justin asked.

 

Brian looked around the larger than large expanse of room before continuing, “There's not really much to say aside from what I have said, and what you already know,” Brian said.

 

“Okay, so you first felt proper love for a human when your son was born, is that right?” Justin asked.

 

“Yea, I guess. I think he's the only person I would be willing to lay down my life for. He is a part of me after all, right?”

 

“Right,” Justin replied, “Learning to love a child comes easy to a lot of first time parents, to others not so easy. You love Gus a lot, everyone can see that.”

 

“I do,” Brian told Justin, “And since I'm throwing all this feelings stuff out there, I also have strong feelings for you. I have never felt anything like this for any other man, not even in the earlier part of my past. Sure I have had feelings of lust for many men, but after the sex is over and they are gone, so is what I felt.”

 

Brian got up off the bed and went back over to the large window with the breath taking view, “You really get bored looking at all this, Justin?” He asked, changing the subject.

 

“Brian, this is important, please stay focused,” Justin demanded of the brunet man in front of the window.

 

“What do you want me to say?” Brian snapped, “That I have fallen in love with you? Why, so you can leave me and move on to your next subject? Brian added, turning to look at Justin.

 

Justin got up from the bed and walked over to where Brian was standing, “Brian, there will always be someone who has lost his or her way in life. Sometimes they are able to find their way back, you weren't. That's why you needed me to help you,” he said before reaching up to stroke the side of Brian's face, “I don't know if I can stay with you permanently because of what I do, but I know I want to,” Justin told Brian.

 

Brian leaned into Justin's touch listening to words, his subtle declaration, “I want that so much Justin,” Brian said.

 

Justin's hand crept slowly around the back of Brian's head, and he leaned in to kiss the brunet.

 

After pulling back Justin sensed someone behind him, “I knew it would be a bad idea to send you on this job,” Daphne told him.

 

“Daphne?” Brian asked, looking shocked.

 

“Hello Brian,” Daphne said, Justin and I work as a team. My memories were taken just as his were, whilst on earth. Once you both came here, I came too. I have been here for a while.”

 

Daphne turned to Justin, “Justin, I know how you feel about Brian, we all do. You can choose to stay on earth with him if you want, but you know what that will mean. Make a decision Justin, what do you want?” she asked.

 

Justin looked at Brian and turned back to Daphne....

 

To Be Continued....


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A change comes in the form of a huge surprise for Brian......

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry you had to wait so long for this chapter. I had played around with a few ideas before settling on this. I really hope you like it. I am already started on the on the last chapter.....Justin still has a few things left to do.
> 
> Please let me know your thoughts on this chapter. More in the next week or two......

****  
   
“Do I have to give up everything?” Justin asked.  
   
“I'm afraid so, Justin. You know the rules. If you fall for someone and decide to stay behind, or choose to leave for any other reason, there is no going back.

Oracles of love and light are not permitted  to keep such a gift when not returning to us again.  
You need to think very carefully before you decide what to do,” Daphne told Justin.  
   
“Okay, in that case, I’m willing to give up everything. I need to be here for Brian. I want to be here for him, I really love him, Daphne. I have never loved anyone like this before.  
   
Brian encircled Justin’s waist with his arms and pulled him close, wanting to say the words Justin needed to hear, but unable to let them come out.  
   
“Very well, but there is one thing you should do before your gift is to be returned,” Daphne said, observing Brian and Justin closely.

There was no doubt that both these men were in love, even if Brian couldn’t admit it yet.  
   
“Okay, I accept,” replied Justin, after telepathically being told what to do.  
   
Justin vanished from Brian’s arms. “Where did he go?” Brian asked.  
   
“To do one last thing,” replied Daphne, before sending Brian back home.  
   
After blinking a few times, Brian realised he was back at the loft….alone.

Upon his return to the loft, realising Justin’s last job could take a while, Brian decided to go and visit his son. “He’s getting a bit bigger,” Brian said, before kissing the baby’s head.  
   
“Of course he is,” replied Lindsay. “Why didn’t you bring Justin? I thought you two were a couple now,” she teased. Word had gotten round in the last few weeks about them being glued to each other.  
   
Damn Mysterious Marilyn, Brian thought. She must be telling everyone about their visit to her. Brian realised Marilyn wouldn’t have disclosed their conversation, but she still must have told them about the two of them showing up to her home. Bitch.  
   
Oh well, it’s not like he would deny they were seeing each other. But, according to Brian, “We’re not actually a couple,” he told her. “We’re just taking things slow. I like him but that’s all you’re getting from me.”  
   
Lindsay smiled. Brian was fooling no one but himself, she thought.  
   
Brian now knew, that despite the pain and suffering his mother had caused them all by taking Gus away, his son would never have been harmed. That didn’t stop him from feeling a little angry at the same time.  
   
When Justin returned a few days later to Brian’s loft, after explaining what his last job was, Justin had news about Brian’s mother. “She doesn’t have long left, Brian. You need to go and see her. She’s had a heart attack and she’s in the Allegheny General Hospital. You have to go to her, now.”  
   
“After everything she put me through?” Brian asked. He was surprised Justin would even suggest him going to the hospital since he knew everything Joan had done to Brian, or not done.  
   
“Brian, you only get one chance to fix something like this. Your mother needs you to forgive her before she can move on,” Justin said, stroking Brian’s face gently.  
“Well, what about my dad? He moved on without any forgiveness from me. I’m sure he’s fine wherever the fuck he is,” Brian said, moving away from Justin’s touch.  
   
Knowing something, but not being able to say what, Justin simply said, “Right now we have to work on your mom. She loves you, Brian. She may not deserve your forgiveness, but she needs it. To aire is human, to forgive is divine. That means all people commit sins and make mistakes. God forgives them, and people are acting in a godlike divine way when they forgive. You need to forgive her, Brian. At least, try. I promise you that you’ll regret it if you don’t,” Justin said. Feeling and seeing that forgiveness beginning to surface in Brian’s heart, he smiled.  
   
It was small, but it was there.  
   
After giving it some thought about his conversation with Justin, Brian decided to go and visit his mom at the hospital.  
   
At the Hospital  
   
Brian slowly walked over to where his mom lay on the hospital bed. “Mom,” he whispered.  
   
Joan turned her head and looked at Brian. “I knew you'd come, Brian. Claire said you probably wouldn't, but I knew in my heart you would,” she told him.  
   
“I wasn't going to,” Brian said. “But someone told me that I might regret it if I didn't, and I have a few rules that I live my life by. No excuses, no apologies and no regrets. So here I am,” Brian said, before taking the seat next to his mother's bed.  
   
“I'm very glad you came, Brian,” Joan said, looking at her son with sorrow? Fear? Love? Brian didn’t know.  
   
Slowly sitting up, Joan said, “I want to make amends with you, in case I die.”  
   
Brian looked away, not speaking.  
   
“Brian, please, just listen to me. I know I made mistakes regarding you and Claire, of course, but I really need you to know I am sorry,” Joan said calmly.  
   
Brian looked into his mother's eyes, “Please, Brian, say something,” Joan pleaded.  
   
Joan carried on what she way saying, after getting no response. “I know you have every reason to hate me, but if I could make it up to you, I would. I have already made amends with Claire, but I need you to forgive me, too, Brian, please.”  
   
“Do you think it's that easy after everything you did?” Brian asked, getting up from his seat and walking toward the nearest window and looking out of it.,  
   
“After I was arrested, I was sitting in the cell, thinking about what I had done when I fell asleep. At least I think I fell asleep, because an angel appeared and told me I didn't have long and needed to make amends with you and Claire,” Joan said.  
   
Brian turned his head away from the window and looked at his mom. Raising his both eyebrows, he asked, “An angel?” And wondered if Joan actually believed what she was saying.  
   
“Yes, Brian, an angel. I don't expect you to believe me. I know you probably don't believe in them or God, but I do.” Joan told her son.  
   
With everything Brian had been witness to recently, he did believe angels were possible. He believed Justin was perhaps one.  
   
“Carry on,” Brian said, walking back to the chair and sitting down.  
   
Joan noticed Brian was waiting for her to continue, with a look of interest in his eyes, he never had in anything she had spoken to him of in the past. He really seemed to want to know what she was telling him, so she carried on. “Like I said, I think I fell asleep. Anyway, a very bright light lit up the whole room slowly, if that makes any sense, and then a young man with blond hair was standing there. He had a very ethereal glow but no wings. He wasn't like you'd imagine an angel to be. I was very struck by his almost transparent skin. I’m one hundred percent convinced he was an angel,” Joan kept her eyes on Brian's, looking for a reaction. But Brian never took his eyes off hers, waiting slightly open-mouthed for her to continue.  
   
“He was otherworldly, no doubt about that. He was beautiful, Brian. Really beautiful. I felt safe in his presence, and warm. He began by making me feel at ease and letting me know I was not in any danger from him. He went on to tell me that I needed to fix things in my life. He reminded me of how much I hurt you and your sister and while I could never go back in time and erase any of that, I needed to make amends with you both, before it was too late. He said my time was nearly up.”  
   
Thinking of all things Joan had done to him, watching as his drunk dad beat him and treated him like shit, making his life miserable. Her cold unloving heart, going to church all the time when things were bad instead of fixing them, or at least trying, Brian could only at this time think of one thing to ask, “What about the fact that I’m gay?”  
   
“Brian, you have to understand that I was brought up to believe that homosexuality is a sin in the eyes of God.” Thinking for a few moments, Joan then said, “Of course it also says in the bible to love one another as God loves you and I didn’t see anywhere in brackets ‘unless they are gay or not the same colour as you or don’t believe the same things you do’. Brian, it has taken me a while to get used to the fact that you are gay, but that doesn’t, nor did it ever make me love you any less. I tried to make myself go to visit you many times to tell you that it didn’t matter to me anymore. I love you, regardless. I thought that after everything that happened, you would just turn me away,” Joan told her son, with sadness in her eyes.  
   
“So, you accept me for being gay?” Brian asked.  
   
“Of course, Brian. I should never have had a problem with it, to begin with. I was selfish. I know that now. When I walked in on you and Michael that time you were both nineteen, it shocked me. But I should have accepted you were gay the second I knew of it, instead of saying you were both going to hell. Actually, it should be me who goes to hell for how I treated you. I’m so sorry, Brian. Please forgive me.” Joan pleaded.  
   
Brian felt something inside him shift. What the fuck was that feeling? It felt really foreign to him. Was this what it felt like when you forgave a person?  
   
Getting up and returning to the spot he had vacated earlier by the window, and once again looking outside, Brian said, “I will forgive you, mom. I’m willing to forget the past and look to the future. I even forgive you for taking my son from the hospital. I’m not sure if Lindsay and Melanie will, though, but I do. We can put the past in the past. We can move on. I want to,” Brian said, before hearing the machine Joan was attached to, beeping.  
   
A doctor and some nurses rushed into the room to work on Joan, but something in Brian’s gut told him it was pointless.  
   
Brian’s mother was dead.  
   
Brian saw the proof as Joan’s spirit left her body. He could only describe it as being similar to Sam’s ghost, leaving his body in the Patrick Swayze movie, “Ghost”.  
   
Brian whispered, “Goodbye, mom,” before realising a nurse was talking to him.  
   
“Mr Kinney, I’m so sorry. There was nothing we could do. Her heart just stopped. We tried to resuscitate her, but got no response. We’re so sorry for your loss.”  
   
“Thank you,” Brian softly replied, leaving the room to call his sister to give her the news. Not something he was looking forward to at all, given the way she acted when their father had died.  
   
At the burial, when Brian watched his mother’s casket being lowered into the ground, he clutched Justin’s hand, and felt completely at ease with himself.  
   
He had been able to forgive Joan for everything that had happened.  
   
He believed he would never see his mother as nothing but a heartless, frigid bitch.  
   
Since Justin came into his life, so much had changed. His son coming into the world, realisation of visions, leprechauns, otherworldly crap, and the worst thing of all…..actually sitting in the same room as Mysterious fucking Marilyn for longer than ten minutes.  
   
Yep, Brian knew Justin was different right away. He just couldn’t put his finger on why.  
   
It would be a lie if Brian told anyone that he didn’t feel sadness for not being able to spend more time with his mom, if she had gotten better and went home. Regrets, for not trying harder to make her accept him for who he was, because they didn’t have enough time to make a better life with each other, now that he knew his mother had finally accepted who he was.  
   
As a tear rolled down his face, Brian looked up and saw who was standing at the other side of the coffin. 

It was his dad.  
   
With his eyes firmly fixed on the apparition before him, Brian felt something inside him shift. The feeling was very familiar, since, some time ago before that, he had felt it at the hospital with his mother.  
   
Without even having to try to think about it, Brian realised he already forgave his father too.  
   
Jack and Brian smiled at each other, and Jack slowly vanished into the crisp air.  
   
Brian turned to look at Justin, who was already looking at him. “Sometimes these things just come to you when you least expect them to,” Justin whispered, as the priest told everyone to place a rose on the grave.  
   
Pulling Justin into a hug, along with the others around them, including their friends, Brian whispered, “Thank you for everything,” into Justin’s ear.  
   
TBC…..  
   
   
   
 


End file.
